Landmark Policy on African Birds Comes into Effect

5 March, 2026

By Henry Luedtke

Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) discussing Proposal 15 to list African hornbill genera Ceratogymna and Bycanistes. Photo by Henry Luedtke.

Recent amendments to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) come into effect today, March 5^th, 2026. Amendments were accepted three months ago at the last CITES Conference of the Parties in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, including the proposal to list nine species of African hornbills on to Appendix II of the Convention. This is a tremendous achievement for the conservation of African birds. The hornbills now listed under CITES include the large, frugivorous hornbills of the Ceratogymna and Bycanistes genera. These spectacular birds are prolific seed dispersers and vital for forest regeneration. They are also among the most threatened African hornbill species and are being increasingly exploited for international markets.

Trumpeter hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) male bringing food to his mate on the nest sealed inside a tree cavity. Photo by Nico Arcilla

These are the first African hornbills to be listed under CITES and their addition to the appendices hopefully represents a turning point for African hornbill conservation. For many years, public and scientific attention has favored Asian hornbill species. Of the 32 Asian hornbill species, 29 are listed under CITES, with most having been listed since 1992. One of the first species listed to CITES when the Convention entered into effect in 1975 was an Asian hornbill species, the Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil).

Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil). Photo by Doug Janson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

While the Helmeted Hornbill is famous for its unique casque prized by traditional craftspeople for its so-called “red ivory,” hornbill harvesting is not unique to them. Nearly all hornbill species are exploited and traded to some degree and for a variety of reasons, from belief-based uses, traditional crafts and medicine, exotic pets, and simply as curios. This exploitation also happens on top of other threats such as bushmeat hunting and habitat loss, which are serious issues in West Africa. For example, Togo has already lost its Yellow-casqued and Black-casqued Hornbill (Ceratogymna elata andC. atrata) populations; and, the Brown-cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes culindricus), endemic only to West Africa, exists in some of the most fragmented tropical forests in the world. International demand may push its isolated populations over the edge.  

Brown-cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes cylindricus) in Kakum National Park, Ghana. Photo by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Brown-cheeked Hornbill is not alone. Almost all African hornbills are in decline and, perhaps due to the effectiveness of CITES, are far more frequently traded in international markets than Asian hornbills. An Appendix II listing does not preclude trade in such species per se, but it does task party states to issue export permits and for their scientific authorities to assess if trade in the species would be detrimental to their survival. Additionally, by being added to the Appendices, these species will now be monitored under the CITES Trade Database, a vital conservation tool. Before, any trade data on African hornbills came from voluntary reporting. Now, scientists will have a much more robust dataset to monitor.

Publicly available LEMIS data for hornbills in US trade 1999 to 2024. Note Asian hornbill trend in comparison to African data. Inset illustration is a male Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator). Figure taken from Tinsman, et al. (2025)

The listing of these species is an important formal acknowledgement that international trade in African hornbills is a significant concern for their survival. This is coinciding with rising scientific and public awareness of this issue. The hornbill proposal at CoP20 was accepted unanimously to applause and with support from at least 20 conservation NGOs. It is important to acknowledge that CITES listings do not protect species on their own. It is up to party states to enforce trade regulations and sometimes policy is simply not effective enough. African Grey and Timneh Parrots (Psittacus erithacus and P. timneh) are listed under CITES Appendix I and continue to suffer greatly from international trade; and, the critically endangered African White-backed and Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps africanus and Gyps rueppelli) recently needed uplisting from Appendix II to I as over-harvesting continues to persist on top of a myriad of other threats.

African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus). Photo by Dick Daniels, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

CITES cannot save species on its own, but it is also true that we cannot save certain species without CITES. Perhaps just as powerful as regulations and monitoring, is the Convention’s capability to foster collaboration. At last year’s CoP, the International Bird Conservation Partnership helped the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project raise awareness about African hornbills at a side-event that received packed attendance. People of all disciplines and backgrounds came to learn about this issue and to hear first-hand accounts from local conservationists, such as Anya Dabite of Cameroon.

Partners and friends celebrating the success at CITES CoP20. Photo courtesy of Nico Arcilla.

Scientists and conservationists from such organizations as TRAFFIC, BirdLife International, Monitor, and the USFWS are now working together to continue monitoring African hornbills in a post-listing world. And in the hallways of the convention center and lobbies of hotels, many fruitful meetings were held and generous support given. For example, Save the Elephants donated some excellent human-elephant coexistence training material to IBCP collaborator Anya Dabite Abeh in Cameroon. More than anything, the listing of Ceratogymna and Bycanistes symbolizes a new era for Africa’s hornbills who have for too long not received the conservation attention they need.

Piping Hornbill (Bycanistes fistulator). Photo by Moni Sertel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.